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is afterwards discovered to be incorrect but not acknowledged in the text, 31 and in turn implies
doubt over the role of the same girl as either the young wife or daughter, instead of actually being
a third female, which is the case here. 32 Moreover, the grouping of the two women in the opening
encounter, in which the supposed daughter is the youngest, further adds to the ambiguity of the
two women he identifies as wives in this scene. The uncertainty and contradictions are so great
that he comes to the conclusion that in their isolated state this supposed family does not conform
to the conventional dictates of New Zealand society, whatever they may be. 33
This is not the only time he makes this point, as further conflicting characteristics of these
people soon surface:
Die Gewohnheit, Geschenke zu machen, ist sonst, in andern Gegenden von Neu-Seeland, nicht so
gemein als in den kleinern Inseln zwischen den Wende-Zirkeln; es schien aber diese Familie sich
überhaupt weniger nach den allgemeinen Gebräuchen ihrer Nation zu richten, als vielmehr sich in
jedem einzelnen Fall so zu betragen, wie ihre ehrliche Gemüthsart und die Klugheit es ihnen, ihre
Lage nach anriethen, in Betracht welcher sie sich in unsrer Gewalt befanden. (I:151)
This assumption is no doubt also due to the seeming lack of interest in trading goods, which,
however, results in a somewhat prejudiced denouncing of the man’s intellect:
Der Mann bewieß bey dieser Gelegenheit ungleich mehr Verstand und Beurtheilungskraft als man
bisher unter seinen übrigen Landsleuten und unter den mehresten Einwohnern in den Süd-See-
Inseln angetroffen hatte, denn er begrif nicht nur, gleich beym ersten Anblick, den vorzüglichen
Werth und Gebrauch der Beile und großen Nägel, sondern er sahe auch überhaupt alles mit
Gleichgültigkeit an, was ihm keinen wahren Nutzen zu haben schien. (I:134f.)
In this way, it is incomprehensible that this ‘family’ would show a fair degree of ‘uncivilised’
indifference to European curiosities, yet also give presents in a noble manner without expecting
anything in return, which seems to be at odds with the customary norm of New Zealand. On the
other hand, it cannot be said that this European encounter was insignificant for the ‘family’ as the
trading emphasis might imply, due to the time they spend dressing themselves up in their best
clothes (I:136). Forster is even surprised at their leaving without returning as they were not empty
handed, so much so that he states the man would be “der reichste in ganz Neu-Seeland”, as he had
more hatchets than were given out on the previous voyage in the northern regions of the country.
31 James Cook, The Journals of Captain James Cook on His Voyages of Discovery. II. The Voyage of the Resolution
and Adventure, 1772-1775. Part 1. Reprint. Ed. J. C. Beaglehole. Millwood, New York: Kraus, 1988, 122n2.
32 Cf. J. R. Forster, Journal, vol. 2, 258.
33 Thomas, “Liberty and Licence”, 135-40. However, it should be noted that beating children was not accepted in
Maori society as it was believed to injure their ‘wairua’ (spirit), while beating a wife, at the same time, encouraged
retaliation from relatives, unless she was an unprotected slave wife who had been captured in war (Salmond, Between
Worlds, 93).
33